Her cool hand felt like rain after a long drought against Alexander's burning skin.
Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and pressed it against his face. Opening his eyes, he looked at her in the darkness, his gaze intense.
"It's not a fever," he said hoarsely. "The soup tonight… something was off."
It must have been a health tonic. A very strong one, Alicia realized.
She immediately understood the situation and looked at him nervously.
"What are we going to do now?"
Alexander propped himself up and suddenly pinned her beneath him. Their eyes locked.
He was clearly restraining himself. His brows were tightly furrowed, sweat forming on his forehead.
The heat from his breath was almost unbearable.
Alexander's face twisted with restraint as he took a deep breath and buried his head in the crook of her neck, while Alicia lay there frozen, trying to process what was happening.
Suddenly, he rolled off the bed and strode toward the bathroom.
